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In the Shadow of Mt. TBR

Good morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone :-) Last week’s VVW was about American Idol Rejects who went on to make a career. I picked Renaldo Lapuz, better known as “The Birdman,” who is having something of a singing career and fans who want to have the picture taken with him. Not the big record deal the winners get, but still… better than 15 minutes.

This week’s VVW is all about my favorite part of American Idol. Those people who shoulda been talked off the ledge. Many of them are so bad that their “friends” who told them they’re great and should go for it deserve to be shot for cruelty. I don’t know if it’s insanity, or if they’re trying for a spot on national television as one of the worst, but at least they gave it a shot.

And now, my favorite BAD American Idol auditions

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Some people who audition are more dancers than singers. Others use the opportunity as a vehicle for bigger and better things, like Leroy Jenkins Wells here. OMG, when I first saw him on TV, Mags and I looked at each other and she said, “Is he on drugs?” If I remember correctly, he was arrested a couple days after his audition aired for outstanding warrants. Now why would someone go on national TV knowing that when the prosecutor he’s been hiding out from will see it and now know where to send the po-po? CAN YOU DIG IT? (Check out the guest judge…)

We have laughed and laughed for a year or so at this next vid clip. Sammi, my oldest daughter, loves Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s the song I sing to her when she’s in a funk. No matter how bad things are for her, she’s smiling and singing along by the end of the song. The song will always have a special place in my heart. HOWEVER, Caveman Red here gives an All-Star FAIL performance of it and won a place in Simon’s heart as the WEIRDEST Audition he’s ever heard.

The next idol-wannabe made Maggie bury her head in the pillow and scream the whole way through. It’s a funny thing how people blame Simon for their own lack of talent. Evidently Keith here hasn’t talked with Renaldo, otherwise he’d know Simon is Heaven’s Chosen. :-)

I’m shocked James Lewis here wasn’t in the news for going on a work-place shooting spree after being encouraged (punked) by his co-workers into auditioning. He seems like such a sweet guy, but he might want to get some new friends. I couldn’t help staring at his mouth, trying to figure out what’s wrong with it… is it a palate issue? or is he just that tone deaf?

ROFL… here’s a Don’t Cha compilation… The auditon I was going to put here has turned out to be worthy of an EXTRA edition.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Summer vacation is in full swing: Maggie’s signed up for the library’s summer reading program and will be kept happy and busy, Sammi started summer school yesterday and is happy to be back in her beloved halls of learning (really, she LOVES school! weird, eh?), and Gwen’s visiting her dad until he gets tired of her and kicks her back home. And I’m sitting in a nice quiet house… fan blowing, dog sleeping cat lazying in the sunny windowsill… And all seems right in the world.

Okay, it’s actually cloudy and cool and raining outside, and the cats are sulking somewhere because they’re mad at me for my lack of taste when buying their royal highnesses food… at least the dog loves me. But the first way sounds so much better, right?

Such is the case with some of the wannabe Idol contestants. Their versions of reality do not always line up with that of the other 99.44% of the population of the planet. But just because they can’t dance, look goofy and couldn’t carry a tune in bucket with a lid doesn’t mean they don’t actually make good.

Today’s Viral Video topic is: I didn’t make it on American Idol, and look at me now!

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There are tons of American Idol Rejects out there, and the worst of them are my favorite part of watching AI. Actually, when it gets down to good contestants I lose interest in the show all together. With the exception of last season, David and David, I’ve never made it to the end of a season. And with the exception of which ever season had Constantine in it (*drool big time!*), I’ve never watched it farther than the elimation rooms.

But, as I said, Maggie and I watched season 7 to the final credits of the final show. It was the season that made us all Brothers Forever :-) And one in which one of the audition rejects were invited to sing on the final show. Renaldo Lapuz has since sang the national anthem at a pro-ball game and starred in an AT&T commercial.

Check it… When Renaldo was on the finale, he even had backup provided by the USC marching band. Pretty cool :-)

It’s a different style, and not entirely unpleasant, of singing The Star-Spangled Banner, and certainly a helluvalot better than Roseanne’s crotch grabbing and spitting screecher-creature version. Watching this on the computer with Sammi, my oldest, surprised me as my sixteen-year-old stood and put her hand over her heart. I must brag, I do have great kids :-D

And with the money AT&T paid, Renaldo spiffied up his duds… but wait? Where’s Simon’s name?? Why did he take Simon’s name off his hat? Did he and Heaven’s Chosen have a falling out?

The one question Maggie asks every time she watches Renaldo perform she asks, “Why does he dress that way?” The following vid clip answers her question and more… like why would a 44 year old try out when 28’s the age limit, inspiration for the song and What is that second reason for putting Simon’s name on his hat? They never let him tell on the show….

So, what All-American Idol Reject is your favorite?

Next week’s Viral Video Wednesday topic: The Best of American Idol is the WORST!
All those bad, scary and train-wrecking-into-a-busload-of-nuns-before-derailing-and-hitting-the-orphanage-in-a-fiery-explosion auditions can come out an play next week :-)

As per Marie of The Boston Bibliophile‘s recommendation, I checked out Rob Paravonian’s American Idol song, and thought we’d let him take out this week’s VVW-

Individuals characterised as stalkers may have a mistaken belief that the other person loves them (erotomania), or have a desire to help the other person. Stalking consists of a series of actions which in themselves can be legal, such as calling on the phone, sending gifts, or sending emails.

And lists the following types of stalkers:

Rejected stalkers pursue their victims in order to reverse, correct, or avenge a rejection (e.g. divorce, separation, termination).

Resentful stalkers pursue a vendetta because of a sense of grievance against the victims – motivated mainly by the desire to frighten and distress the victim.

Intimacy seekers seek to establish an intimate, loving relationship with their victim. To them, the victim is a long-sought-after soul mate, and they were ‘meant’ to be together.

Incompetent suitors, despite poor social or courting skills, have a fixation, or in some cases a sense of entitlement to an intimate relationship with those who have attracted their amorous interest. Their victims are most often already in a dating relationship with someone else.

Predatory stalkers spy on the victim in order to prepare and plan an attack – usually sexual – on the victim.

We’ve all felt rejected at one time or another, and “bumped into” the person more than chance would allow. Or, had a crush on someone and rearranged our schedule just so we could be where they would be… taking the long way to our destination, for instance, so we could drive by their house.

Come on… Don’t tell me it’s just me… I saw you in that bush last week, so fess up!

lol… But do STALKERS have an anthem, a theme song? And if they did, what would that song be? Well, this first video is proof I should update my bookmarks more often. ORIGINALLY… I had Morrissey’s creepy-as-HELL video of The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get for this spot, but UNfortunately… some bigwigs somewhere threw a fit about the use of Morrissey’s song and all that, and the vid’s now muted. So… I had to sub in this 1995 Mickey Mouse Club version. *sigh*

Pay particular attention to the lyrics:

I will be
In the car
With my hand
In the spots
I am now
A central part
Of your mind’s landscape
Whether you care
Or do not
Yeah, I’ve made up your mind

The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You’re wasting your time
The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You’re wasting your time

Beware !
I bear more grudges
Than lonely high court judges
When you sleep
I will creep
Into your thoughts
Like a bad debt
That you can’t pay
Take the easy way
And give in
Yeah, and let me in

Was that a young Jamie Lynn Spears intro’ing the vid?

Yeah, Morrisey’s is definitely creepier than the teenie-bopper one. PERHAPS, that’s because we expect, or at least forgive, teens to be obsessive. Morrissey, on the other hand, is a grown and already-mildly-creepy man and should be able to understand reality and have some amount of self-control.

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Until I saw and heard the Morrissey video, the next song was what I considered the theme song for stalkers everywhere. Ever since I was a teenager, The Police’s song Every Breath You Take has seemed a bit stalker-ish to me. AND the following video proves that I’m not the only one to think that! Listen to the lyrics:

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And then there is FRED. Poor Fred! He can’t help it that he’s in love with Judy, even though she’s such a BRAT! She won’t IM him back at all, so what could he do? Of course he had to sneak in her house, sniff her perfume, go through her drawers, and such. But he’s NOT a STALKER!

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Paula Abdul’s stalker, Paul Marturano, auditioned on the 7th season of American Idol with his offerings of his obsessive love for the F in the AI mfm party.

So, now it’s your turn. Post a link of your fav stalker video in the comments here, or better yet… Blog your own VVW and leave a link in the comments!